Loss of ITM2A, a novel tumor suppressor of ovarian cancer through G2/M cell cycle arrest, is a poor prognostic factor of epithelial ovarian cancer

Interactome of Paraoxonase PON2 Reveals New Pathways for Tumor Growth Regulation

The interactome of paraoxonase-2 encoded by the PON2 gene was investigated. A cDNA library was screened using a yeast two-hybrid system to search for new proteins interacting with human PON2. Analysis of the identified candidates, along with previously published data on interactors obtained by other methods, indicates the presence of a significant number of indirect interactions between PON2 and EGFR and, consequently, possible regulation of tumor growth with mutant EGFR involving PON2.

Multi-omics reveals microbiome, host gene expression, and immune landscape in gastric carcinogenesis

To date, there has been no multi-omic analysis characterizing the intricate relationships between the intragastric microbiome and gastric mucosal gene expression in gastric carcinogenesis. Using multi-omic approaches, we provide a comprehensive view of the connections between the microbiome and host gene expression in distinct stages of gastric carcinogenesis (i.e., healthy, gastritis, cancer). Our integrative analysis uncovers various associations specific to disease states. For example, uniquely in gastritis, Helicobacteraceae is highly correlated with the expression of FAM3D, which has been previously implicated in gastrointestinal inflammation. In addition, in gastric cancer but not in adjacent gastritis, Lachnospiraceae is highly correlated with the expression of UBD, which regulates mitosis and cell cycle time. Furthermore, lower abundances of B cell signatures in gastric cancer compared to gastritis may suggest a previously unidentified immune evasion process in gastric carcinogenesis. Our study provides the most comprehensive description of microbial, host transcriptomic, and immune cell factors of the gastric carcinogenesis pathway.

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Multi-omics finds genetic, microbial, and immunological links in gastric cancer

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Helicobacteraceae was highly associated with the expression of inflammation genes

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Pasteurellaceae and Lachnospiraceae were associated with cancer-related genes

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B cell infiltration was prominent in gastritis tissues but not in gastric cancer

Integral membrane protein 2A enhances sensitivity to chemotherapy via notch signaling pathway in cervical cancer

As the second most common cancer among women, cervical cancer is a huge threat to their health all over the world. Integral membrane protein 2A (ITM2A), a member of the Type II Integral Membrane protein (ITM2) family, has been reported to act as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the low expression of ITM2A was associated with cervical adenocarcinoma. However, the function of ITM2A in drug resistance in cervical cancer remains unclear. Here, we used bioinformatics methods to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) closely related to chemotherapeutic relapse cervical carcinoma. ITM2A is downregulated in cervical tumor tissues and is associated with poor survival. Furthermore, ITM2A is also downregulated in cervical cancer cells with cisplatin resistance. Overexpression of ITM2A increases the cisplatin sensitivity of cervical cancer cells. Mechanically, ITM2A upregulation mediates the sensitivity of cervical cancer cell through Notch signaling pathway. Our study suggests that ITM2A may serve as a target in mediating cisplatin-resistant cervical cancer.

Single-Cell RNA-Seq of T Cells in B-ALL Patients Reveals an Exhausted Subset with Remarkable Heterogeneity

Characterization of functional T cell clusters is key to developing strategies for immunotherapy and predicting clinical responses in leukemia. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing is performed with T cells sorted from the peripheral blood of healthy individuals and patients with B cell-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Unbiased bioinformatics analysis enabled the authors to identify 13 T cell clusters in the patients based on their molecular properties. All 11 major T cell subsets in healthy individuals are found in the patients with B-ALL, with the counterparts in the patients universally showing more activated characteristics. Two exhausted T cell populations, characterized by up-regulation of TIGIT, PDCD1, HLADRA, LAG3, and CTLA4 are specifically discovered in B-ALL patients. Of note, these exhausted T cells possess remarkable heterogeneity, and ten sub-clusters are further identified, which are characterized by different cell cycle phases, naïve states, and GNLY (coding granulysin) expression. Coupled with single-cell T cell receptor repertoire profiling, diverse originations of the exhausted T cells in B-ALL are suggested, and clonally expanded exhausted T cells are likely to originate from CD8+ effector memory/terminal effector cells. Together, these data provide for the first-time valuable insights for understanding exhausted T cell populations in leukemia.

Differential gene expression analysis of ankylosing spondylitis shows deregulation of the HLA-DRB, HLA-DQB, ITM2A, and CTLA4 genes

Background

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the spinal joints. Although we know some of the genetic factors that are associated with the disease, the molecular basis of this illness has not yet been fully elucidated, and the genes involved in AS pathogenesis have not been entirely identified. The current study aimed at constructing a gene network that may serve as an AS gene signature and biomarker, both of which will help in disease diagnosis and the identification of therapeutic targets. Previously published gene expression profiles of 16 AS patients and 16 gender- and age-matched controls that were profiled on the Illumina HumanHT-12 V3.0 Expression BeadChip platform were mined. Patients were Portuguese, 21 to 64 years old, were diagnosed based on the modified New York criteria, and had Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index scores > 4 and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index scores > 4. All patients were receiving only NSAIDs and/or sulphasalazine. Functional enrichment and pathway analysis were performed to create an interaction network of differentially expressed genes.

Results

ITM2A, ICOS, VSIG10L, CD59, TRAC, and CTLA-4 were among the significantly differentially expressed genes in AS, but the most significantly downregulated genes were the HLA-DRB6, HLA-DRB5, HLA-DRB4, HLA-DRB3, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1, ITM2A, and CTLA-4 genes. The genes in this study were mostly associated with the regulation of the immune system processes, parts of cell membrane, and signaling related to T cell receptor and antigen receptor, in addition to some overlaps related to the IL2 STAT signaling, as well as the androgen response. The most significantly over-represented pathways in the data set were associated with the “RUNX1 and FOXP3 which control the development of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs)” and the “GABA receptor activation” pathways.

Conclusions

Comprehensive gene analysis of differentially expressed genes in AS reveals a significant gene network that is involved in a multitude of important immune and inflammatory pathways. These pathways and networks might serve as biomarkers for AS and can potentially help in diagnosing the disease and identifying future targets for treatment.

Postchronic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Exposure Causes Irreversible Malignant Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells through DNA Methylation Changes

As environmental pollutants and possible carcinogens, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have recently been found to induce carcinogenesis and tumor metastasis after long-term pulmonary exposure. However, whether CNT-induced carcinogenesis can be inherited and last for generations remains unclear. Herein, postchronic single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exposed human lung cell model (BEAS-2B cells) are established to investigate SWCNT-induced carcinogenesis. At a tolerated sublethal dose level, postchronic SWCNT exposure significantly increases the migration and invasion abilities of BEAS-2B cells, leading to malignant cell transformation. Notably, the malignant transformation of BEAS-2B cells is irreversible within a 60 day recovery period after SWCNT exposure, and the malignant transformation activities of cells gradually increase during the recovery period. Moreover, these transformed cells promote carcinogenesis in vivo, accompanied by a raised level of biomarkers of lung adenocarcinoma. Further mechanism analyses reveal that postchronic exposure to SWCNTs causes substantial DNA methylation and transcriptome dysregulation of BEAS-2B cells. Subsequent enrichment and clinical database analyses reveal that differentially expressed/methylated genes of BEAS-2B cells are enriched in cancer-related biological pathways. These results not only demonstrate that postchronic SWCNT-exposure-induced carcinogenesis is heritable but also uncover a mechanism from the perspective of DNA methylation.

Identification of potential markers for differentiating epithelial ovarian cancer from ovarian low malignant potential tumors through integrated bioinformatics analysis

Background

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), as a lethal malignancy in women, is often diagnosed as advanced stages. In contrast, intermediating between benign and malignant tumors, ovarian low malignant potential (LMP) tumors show a good prognosis. However, the differential diagnosis of the two diseases is not ideal, resulting in delays or unnecessary therapies. Therefore, unveiling the molecular differences between LMP and EOC may contribute to differential diagnosis and novel therapeutic and preventive policies development for EOC.

Methods

In this study, three microarray data (GSE9899, GSE57477 and GSE27651) were used to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LMP and EOC samples. Then, 5 genes were screened by protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), survival and Pearson correlation analysis. Meanwhile, chemical-core gene network construction was performed to identify the potential drugs or risk factors for EOC based on 5 core genes. Finally, we also identified the potential function of the 5 genes for EOC through pathway analysis.

Results

Two hundred thirty-four DEGs were successfully screened, including 81 up-regulated genes and 153 down-regulated genes. Then, 5 core genes (CCNB1, KIF20A, ASPM, AURKA, and KIF23) were identified through PPI network analysis, ROC analysis, survival and Pearson correlation analysis, which show better diagnostic efficiency and higher prognostic value for EOC. Furthermore, NetworkAnalyst was used to identify top 15 chemicals that link with the 5 core genes. Among them, 11 chemicals were potential drugs and 4 chemicals were risk factors for EOC. Finally, we found that all 5 core genes mainly regulate EOC development via the cell cycle pathway by the bioinformatic analysis.

Conclusion

Based on an integrated bioinformatic analysis, we identified potential biomarkers, risk factors and drugs for EOC, which may help to provide new ideas for EOC diagnosis, condition appraisal, prevention and treatment in future.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-021-00794-0.

Non-coding RNA therapeutics for cardiac regeneration

A growing body of evidence indicates that cardiac regeneration after myocardial infarction can be achieved by stimulating the endogenous capacity of cardiomyocytes (CMs) to replicate. This process is controlled, both positively and negatively, by a large set of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Some of the microRNAs (miRNAs) that can stimulate CM proliferation is expressed in embryonic stem cells and is required to maintain pluripotency (e.g. the miR-302∼367 cluster). Others also govern the proliferation of different cell types, including cancer cells (e.g. the miR-17∼92 cluster). Additional miRNAs were discovered through systematic screenings (e.g. miR-199a-3p and miR-590-3p). Several miRNAs instead suppress CM proliferation and are involved in the withdrawal of CMs from the cell cycle after birth (e.g. the let-7 and miR-15 families). Similar regulatory roles on CM proliferation are also exerted by a few long ncRNAs. This body of information has obvious therapeutic implications, as miRNAs with activator function or short antisense oligonucleotides against inhibitory miRNAs or lncRNAs can be administered to stimulate cardiac regeneration. Expression of miRNAs can be achieved by gene therapy using adeno-associated vectors, which transduce CMs with high efficiency. More effective and safer for therapeutic purposes, small nucleic acid therapeutics can be obtained as chemically modified, synthetic molecules, which can be administered through lipofection or inclusion in lipid or polymer nanoparticles for efficient cardiac delivery. The notion that it is possible to reprogramme CMs into a regenerative state and that this property can be enhanced by ncRNA therapeutics remains exciting, however extensive experimentation in large mammals and rigorous assessment of safety are required to advance towards clinical application.

ITM2A as a Tumor Suppressor and Its Correlation With PD-L1 in Breast Cancer

Background

High expression of integral membrane protein 2A (ITM2A) was reported to be associated with favorable prognosis in several solid tumors including breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the role of ITM2A in breast cancer, especially in respect to tumor microenvironment.

Methods

ITM2A expression was evaluated based on qRT-PCR results on breast cancer specimens, as well as TCGA and GEO datasets. The influence of ITM2A expression on breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, clonogenic assay, and murine xenograft models. Transwell assay was performed to observe the changes of invasion and migration capacity in breast cancer cells. To determine the biological functions of ITM2A, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened based on RNA-sequencing data of MCF-7 cells overexpressed ITM2A. Then, functional annotation on DEGs was given by Gene Ontology and KEGG analysis. The stimulation on programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression when ITM2A overexpressed was determined by flow cytometry. Meanwhile, the correlation on expression levels between PD-L1 and ITM2A was tested via qRT-PCR on 24 breast cancer tissues, as well as public database.

Results

We demonstrated that ITM2A was frequently downregulated in breast cancer. Patients with high expression levels of ITM2A had longer overall survival and relapse free survival. Overexpression of ITM2A inhibited proliferation and impaired cells capacity of invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. The DEGs in breast cancer cells overexpressed ITM2A were found to be associated with immunity responses. Moreover, ITM2A was found to facilitate breast cancer cells to express PD-L1. The correlation between PD-L1 and ITM2A was verified with both qRT-PCR assay and public database. Additionally, it was found that breast cancer had higher ITM2A expression frequently had more tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs).

Conclusion

In summary, we found that high expression of ITM2A reduced the aggressivity of breast cancer cells and had a favorable effect on outcomes of patients with breast cancer. Moreover, ITM2A induced PD-L1 expression in breast cancer cells was accompanied with higher TILs numbers in tumor microenvironment.

β-TrCP1-variant 4, a novel splice variant of β-TrCP1, is a negative regulator of β-TrCP1-variant 1 in β-catenin degradation

β-transducin repeats-containing protein-1 (β-TrCP1) serves as the substrate recognition subunit for SCFβ-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligases, which specifically ubiquitinate phosphorylated substrates. Three variants of β-TrCP1 are known and act as homodimer or heterodimer complexes. Here, we identified a novel full-sequenced variant, β-TrCP1-variant 4, which harbours exon II instead of exon III of variant 1, with no change in the open reading frame. The expression of β-TrCP1-variant 4 is lower than that of variant 1 or 2 in ovarian cancer cell lines, whereas it is abundantly expressed in normal and cancerous ovarian tissues. Moreover, β-TrCP1-variant 2 was aberrantly expressed more than variant 1 in ovarian cancer tissues whereas variant 1 was expressed more in normal tissues. Similar to variants 1 and 2, β-TrCP1-variant 4 directly interacts with β-catenin, one of the substrates of SCFβ-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase and down-regulates the transcriptional activity and protein expression of β-catenin with a significantly weaker effect than that by variants 1 and 2. However, the co-expression of β-TrCP1-variant 4 with variant 1 in same proportion has no effect, whereas other combinations effectively down-regulate the activity of β-catenin, indicating that the heterodimer of variants 1 and 4 has no function. Thus, β-TrCP1-variant 4 could play a critical role in SCFβ-TrCP E3 ligase-mediated ubiquitination by acting as a negative regulator of β-TrCP1-variant 1.

Comprehensive Analysis of mRNA Expression Profiles in Head and Neck Cancer by Using Robust Rank Aggregation and Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis

Background

Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world; its pathogenic mechanism remains to be further clarified.

Methods

Robust rank aggregation (RRA) analysis was utilized to identify the metasignature dysregulated genes, which were then used for potential drug prediction. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed on all metasignature genes to find hub genes. DNA methylation analysis, GSEA, functional annotation, and immunocyte infiltration analysis were then performed on hub genes to investigate their potential role in HNSCC.

Result

A total of 862 metasignature genes were identified, and 6 potential drugs were selected based on these genes. Based on the result of WGCNA, six hub genes (ITM2A, GALNTL1, FAM107A, MFAP4, PGM5, and OGN) were selected (GS > 0.1, MM > 0.75, GS p value < 0.05, and MM p value < 0.05). All six genes were downregulated in tumor tissue (FDR < 0.01) and were related to the clinical stage and prognosis of HNSCC in different degrees. Methylation analysis showed that the dysregulation of ITM2A, GALNTL1, FAM107A, and MFAP4 may be caused by hypermethylation. Moreover, the expression level of all 6 hub genes was positively associated with immune cell infiltration, and the result of GSEA showed that all hub genes may be involved in the process of immunoregulation.

Conclusion

All identified hub genes could be potential biomarkers for HNSCC and provide a new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck tumors.

Urinary Cell Transcriptome Profiling and Identification of ITM2A, SLAMF6, and IKZF3 as Biomarkers of Acute Rejection in Human Kidney Allografts

Identification of a shared gene expression pattern between T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR) and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in human kidney allografts may help prioritize targets for the treatment of both types of acute rejection.

A novel signature based on microvascular invasion predicts the recurrence of HCC

Background and objectives

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, microvascular invasion (MVI) is associated with worse outcomes regardless of treatment. No single reliable preoperative factor exists to predict MVI. The aim of the work described here was to develop a new MVI− based mRNA biomarker to differentiate between high and low risk patients.

Methods

Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we collected data from 315 HCC patients, including mRNA expression and complete clinical data. We generated a seven-mRNA signature to predict patient outcomes. The mRNA signature was validated using the GSE36376 cohort. Finally, we tested the formula in our own 53 HCC patients using qPCR for the seven mRNAs and analyzing the computed tomography (CT) features.

Results

This seven‐mRNA signature significantly correlated with length of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for both the training and validation groups. RFS and OS were briefer in high risk versus low risk patients. A Kaplan–Meier analysis also indicated that survival time was significantly shortened in the high risk group versus the low risk group. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated good predictive performance for the seven-mRNA signature. The mRNA signature also acts as an independent factor according to a Multivariate analysis. Our results are consistent with the seven-mRNA formula risk score.

Conclusion

Our research showed a novel seven-mRNA biomarker based on MVI predicting RFS and OS in HCC patients. This mRNA signature can stratify patients into subgroups based on their risk of recurrence to help guide individualized treatment and precision management in HCC.

Prognostic and clinicopathological values of tissue expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A in triple-negative breast cancer: an immunohistochemical study

Introduction

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a markedly aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer; there is an urgent need to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression and metastases of BLBC, in order to find a novel targeted therapy. Microfibrillar-associated protein 5 (MFAP5) plays an essential role in the regulation of cell behaviour and survival. Integral membrane protein 2A (ITM2A) is a type II transmembrane protein, which is a member of a family of autophagy related proteins.

The aim of this study was to assess the expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A proteins in tissues of BLBC using immunohistochemistry, in order to correlate the expression with clinicopathological and prognostic parameters of such aggressive cancer.

Material and methods

The present study included sections from archived paraffin blocks retrieved from 120 patients with TNBC. We collected cases from three years, i.e. from 2016 to 2019. We assessed expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A using immunohistochemistry.

Results

High expression of MFAP5 and low expression of ITM2A was associated with advanced stage (p = 0.007), higher grade of tumour (p = 0.005 and p = 0.004, respectively), the presence of lymph nodes metastases (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively), lower three-year RFS rate (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively), and lower three-year OS rate (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

MFAP5 and ITM2A are novel prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer and might be considered as promising therapeutic targets for patients with breast cancer, particularly TNBC molecular subtype, in the future.

A Five-Genes-Based Prognostic Signature for Cervical Cancer Overall Survival Prediction

Aims. This study is aimed at identifying a prognostic signature for cervical cancer. Main Methods. The gene expression data and clinical information of cervical cancer and normal cervical tissues were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas and from three datasets of the Gene Expression Omnibus database. DESeq2 and Limma were employed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The overlapping DEGs among all datasets were considered the final DEGs. Then, the functional enrichment analysis was performed. Moreover, the Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to establish a prognostic signature of the DEGs. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to test the model. Relationships between gene expression and clinicopathological parameters in cervical cancer, including age, HPV status, histology, stage, and lymph node metastasis, were analysed by the chi-square test. The somatic mutations of these prognostic genes were assessed through cBioPortal. The robustness of the model was verified in another two independent validation cohorts. Key Findings. In total, 169 overlapping upregulated genes and 29 overlapping downregulated genes were identified in cervical cancer compared with normal cervical tissues. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the DEGs were mainly enriched in DNA replication, the cell cycle, and the p53 signalling pathway. Finally, a 5-gene- (ITM2A, DSG2, SPP1, EFNA1, and MMP1) based prognostic signature was built. According to this model, each patient was given a prognostic-related risk value. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that a higher risk was related to worse overall survival in cervical cancer, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.811 for 15 years. The validity of this model in the prediction of cervical cancer outcome was verified in another two independent datasets. In addition, our study also found that the low expression of ITM2A was associated with cervical adenocarcinoma. Interestingly, DSG2 was associated with the HPV status of cervical cancer. Significance. Our study constructed a prognostic model in cervical cancer and discovered two novel genes, ITM2A and DSG2, associated with cervical carcinogenesis and survival.

Identification of Key Genes in Association with Progression and Prognosis in Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Cervical cancer remains a primary cause of female death in developing countries, but its prognosis can be greatly improved if patients are diagnosed earlier. In the present study, we screened the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) from dataset GSE7803, Gene Expression Omnibus, and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. An integrated bioinformatics analysis was performed based on these DEGs for their enrichment in functions and pathways, interaction network, prognostic signature, and candidate molecular drugs. As a result, 164 (114 upregulated and 47 downregulated) DEGs of CESC were identified for further investigation. We then conducted the gene ontology term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway analyses to reveal the underlying functions and pathways of these DEGs. In the protein-protein interaction network, hub module and hub genes were identified. Five genes of significant prognostic value-DSG2, ITM2A, CENPM, RIBC2, and MEIS2-were identified by prognostic signature analysis and used to construct a risk linear model. Further validation and investigation suggested DSG2 might be a key gene in CESC prognosis. We then identified two candidate small molecules (trichostatin A and tanespimycin) against CESC. Further validation and exploration of these hub genes are warranted for future prospect in clinical applications.

Inhibition of TGF-β signalling in combination with nal-IRI plus 5-Fluorouracil/Leucovorin suppresses invasion and prolongs survival in pancreatic tumour mouse models

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies. TGF-β is strongly expressed in both the epithelial and stromal compartments of PDAC, and dysregulation of TGF-β signalling is a frequent molecular disturbance in PDAC progression and metastasis. In this study, we investigated whether blockade of TGF-β signalling synergizes with nal-IRI/5-FU/LV, a chemotherapy regimen for malignant pancreatic cancer, in an orthotopic pancreatic tumour mouse model. Compared to nal-IRI/5-FU/LV treatment, combining nal-IRI/5-FU/LV with vactosertib, a TGF-β signalling inhibitor, significantly improved long-term survival rates and effectively suppressed invasion to surrounding tissues. Through RNA-sequencing analysis, we identified that the combination treatment results in robust abrogation of tumour-promoting gene signatures and positive enrichment of tumour-suppressing and apoptotic gene signatures. Particularly, the expression of tumour-suppressing gene Ccdc80 was induced by vactosertib and further induced by vactosertib in combination with nal-IRI/5-FU/LV. Ectopic expression of CCDC80 suppressed migration and colony formation concomitant with decreased expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in pancreatic cancer cells. Collectively, these results indicate that combination treatment of vactosertib with nal-IRI/5-FU/LV improves overall survival rates in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer by suppressing invasion through CCDC80. Therefore, combination therapy of nal-IRI/5-FU/LV with vactosertib could provide clinical benefits to pancreatic cancer patients.

Integral membrane protein 2A inhibits cell growth in human breast cancer via enhancing autophagy induction

Background

Breast cancer is a life-threatening disease in females and the leading cause of mortality among the female population, presenting huge challenges for prognosis and treatment. ITM2A is a member of the BRICHOS superfamily, which are thought to have a chaperone function. ITM2A has been identified to related to ovarian cancer progress recently. However, the biological role of ITM2A in breast cancer remains largely unclear.

Methods

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting assay and immunohistochemistry staining were used to analyzed the expression level of ITM2A. The patient overall survival versus ITM2A expression level was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. MTT assay, EdU incorporation assay and colony formation assay were used to evaluated the role of ITM2A on breast cancer cell proliferation. Autophagy was explored through autophagic flux detection using a confocal microscope and autophagic vacuoles investigation under a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In vitro kinase assay was used to investigated the phosphorylation modification of ITM2A by HUNK.

Results

Our data showed that the expression of integral membrane protein 2A (ITM2A) was significantly down-regulated in human breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients presenting with reduced ITM2A expression exhibited poor overall survival, and expression significantly correlated with age, progesterone receptor status, TNM classification and tumor stage. ITM2A overexpression significantly inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells. By studying several autophagic markers and events in human breast cancer SKBR-3 cells, we further demonstrated that ITM2A is a novel positive regulator of autophagy through an mTOR-dependent manner. Moreover, we found that ITM2A was phosphorylated at T35 by HUNK, a serine/threonine kinase significantly correlated with human breast cancer overall survival and HER2-induced mammary tumorigenesis.

Conclusion

Our study provided evidence that ITM2A functions as a novel prognostic marker and represents a potential therapeutic target.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-019-0422-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Resetting the epigenetic balance of Polycomb and COMPASS function at enhancers for cancer therapy

The lysine methyltransferase KMT2C (also known as MLL3), a subunit of the COMPASS complex, implements monomethylation of Lys4 on histone H3 (H3K4) at gene enhancers. KMT2C (hereafter referred to as MLL3) frequently incurs point mutations across a range of human tumor types, but precisely how these lesions alter MLL3 function and contribute to oncogenesis is unclear. Here we report a cancer mutational hotspot in MLL3 within the region encoding its plant homeodomain (PHD) repeats and demonstrate that this domain mediates association of MLL3 with the histone H2A deubiquitinase and tumor suppressor BAP1. Cancer-associated mutations in the sequence encoding the MLL3 PHD repeats disrupt the interaction between MLL3 and BAP1 and correlate with poor patient survival. Cancer cells that had PHD-associated MLL3 mutations or lacked BAP1 showed reduced recruitment of MLL3 and the H3K27 demethylase KDM6A (also known as UTX) to gene enhancers. As a result, inhibition of the H3K27 methyltransferase activity of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in tumor cells harboring BAP1 or MLL3 mutations restored normal gene expression patterns and impaired cell proliferation in vivo. This study provides mechanistic insight into the oncogenic effects of PHD-associated mutations in MLL3 and suggests that restoration of a balanced state of Polycomb-COMPASS activity may have therapeutic efficacy in tumors that bear mutations in the genes encoding these epigenetic factors.

A 16-gene signature predicting prognosis of patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is the most common subtype of oral cancer. A predictive gene signature is necessary for prognosis of OTSCC.

Methods

Five microarray data sets of OTSCC from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and one data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were obtained. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GEO data sets were identified by integrated analysis. The DEGs associated with prognosis were screened in the TCGA data set by univariate survival analysis to obtain a gene signature. A risk score was calculated as the summation of weighted expression levels with coefficients by Cox analysis. The signature was used to distinguish carcinoma, estimated by receiver operator characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC). All were validated in the GEO and TCGA data sets.

Results

Integrated analysis of GEO data sets revealed 300 DEGs. A 16-gene signature and a risk score were developed after survival analysis. The risk score was effective to stratify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups in the TCGA data set (P < 0.001). The 16-gene signature was valid to distinguish the carcinoma from normal samples (AUC 0.872, P < 0.001).

Discussion

We identified a useful 16-gene signature for prognosis of OTSCC patients, which could be applied to clinical practice. Further studies were needed to prove the findings.